Effects Of Alcohol On The Body – Alcoholic beverages are one of the most popular beverages in the world, after coffee and water. You can find alcoholic drinks anywhere in the world. Even though alcoholic beverages are harmful to humans, people still like to consume them on a regular basis.
Most people in the world will argue that one drink a day is not going to harm your body, but it will give you a huge number of benefits. Even if there are some benefits of a small number of alcoholic beverages, the side effects are always going to be overweight the benefits.
That is why we are here to discuss the effects of alcohol on the body. We will discuss both the good effects and bad effects of alcohol on the body. So let’s take a look at a few of them below.
High Blood Pressure
The first effect of alcohol on the body is it increases your overall blood pressure, and it can also expand your blood vessels. In many studies and surveys, it has been proven that alcohol has a direct impact on blood pressure. Alcohol abuse increases the risk of getting permanent high blood pressure.
As you already know, it can also expand your blood vessels which means more blood flow to the skin. The expansion of blood vessels can increase your body temperature. A sudden increase in body temperature and sudden drop is not good for your overall health, including heart health.
Heart Issues
Apart from high blood pressure, alcohol can also cause several heart issues, including your heartbeat, difficulty pumping blood through your body, etc. In several studies, it has already been proven that alcohol has a direct connection with your heart and all the heart issues.
Those who abuse alcohol are at higher risk of heart attack and some sort of stroke. Alcoholics may also experience heart failure in some rare cases. Alcohol can also mess up your digestive system, which will make the absorption of vitamins and minerals very hard. As a result, it can also become the reason for a low red blood count.
Liver Damage
You might have heard about liver damage due to alcohol abuse. It is completely true that alcohol abuse can cause liver damage. Technically, your liver filters your body and destroys all the toxic substances, including alcohol, from your body.
But, the liver also has an endpoint, and after that, it cannot work as it should. After that certain amount of alcohol that your liver can handle a person, it can cause permanent damage. Suppose you are one of those who abuse alcohol. You should take good care of your liver health by testing it regularly.
Sugar Levels
Alcohol can cause your body to have higher blood sugar levels or lower blood sugar levels. Do you already know the pancreas helps your body regulate hand-used insulin? If your pancreas does not function properly, you could get low blood sugar levels.
On the other hand, a damaged pancreas can also prevent from producing enough insulin, which can lead you to high blood sugar levels. That is why most experts advise everyone not to abuse alcohol, as it can cause diabetes or hypoglycemia.
Digestive System
It is a no-brainer that alcohol can cause a messed-up digestive system. At first, you might not see it clearly, but it is one of the side effects, and usually, people get to know about messed-up digestive systems once it has already happened.
Alcohol can cause damage to your digestive tract, which can prevent your organs from digesting food and absorbing nutrients. As a result, alcoholic people experience more gas and bloating. At the same time, diarrhea and ulcer are also possible due to dehydration and Constipation.
Reproductive Health
Apart from the digestion system and other important organs such as the liver, alcohol abuse can also affect your reproductive health. Even though alcohol is known to cause a ramp-up of fun in the bedroom, in many studies, it has already been proven that alcohol does impact your reproductive health.
Alcohol abuse is directly linked to lowering your libido, which can become the reason for several other sexual problems. Many people have experienced erectile dysfunction after abusing alcohol for several years. Apart from that, alcohol can also cause difficulty in achieving orgasm by preventing sex hormone production.
If you are one of those who abuse alcohol and if suffering from reproductive health issues, then you should consult with your doctor as soon as possible. Even in women, alcohol can cause irregular menstrual cycles, including the possible risk of infertility.
Pregnancy Issues
Even though it is in the public that nobody should drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy, still few women like to drink once in a while. The so-called propaganda of 1 drink a day is not going to hurt you has attracted a lot of pregnant women.
But no amount of alcohol is considered safe during pregnancy. Apart from health issues, it can also lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, or premature delivery, which is very harmful to the newborn.
Even if a baby survives alcohol abuse during pregnancy, the child may experience a range of complications, including learning difficulties, emotional problems, and development concerns.
Immune System
Several studies on alcohol abuse have concluded that alcoholic beverages are known to reduce the natural immune system of your body. A weak immune system is known to cause several problems, including the regular effects of germs and viruses.
As per one report published by the World Health Organization on alcohol consumption, people who drink heavily and abuse alcohol over a long period of time are more likely to develop pneumonia.
Risk of Cancer
As you have already read, alcohol abuse is known to suppress your immune system, which makes you vulnerable to a huge number of diseases, including viruses and germs. Along with other physical problems, alcohol can also lead to cancer.
In several studies, it has already been proven that frequent drinking or alcohol abuse is directly known to cause mouth, breast, colon, and liver cancer. Many people drink alcohol along with cigarettes which are full of tobacco. The combination of two deadly ingredients can further increase the risk of cancer, especially throat cancer.
Psychological Issues
Apart from physical health, alcohol is also known to cause several psychological issues. Alcohol abuse is known to cause slowdown chemicals and pathways in your brain. These chemicals and pathways are known to control your body and alter your mood swings and your reflexes.
You might have seen people falling down or not being able to balance after drinking alcoholic beverages. That is a clear example of alcoholic beverages messing with your brain.
Apart from all that alcohol, it can also contribute to learning and memory issues. Short-term memory loss is a very common problem among alcohol abusers. Usually, people recover from memory loss, but in some cases, it may become permanent.
As a long-term effect of alcohol on the body and brain, it may also cause brain shrinkage or loss of Gray matter. In some cases, people have also experienced the loss of white matter. If you are a regular drinker and you are experiencing memory loss or behavioral changes, you should consult with your doctor as soon as possible.
Weak Bones
Last but not least is the effect of alcohol on the body. If you are an alcohol abuser, then you might experience weakened bones which can cause accidental fractures. People with alcohol disorders also experience high levels of unique acid and gout. Usually, people experience weak bones with the long term alcohol abuse can affect the bone density.
Takeaways
Alcoholic beverages are the second most consumed liquid in the world. Because of its popularity, it is very common for people to abuse alcohol which has serious side effects on the body. There is a long list of effects of alcohol on the body, which we have discussed above.
For example, alcohol can lower bone density which can cause Accidental fractures. Apart from that, alcohol abusers may also experience heart issues, including high blood pressure and stroke. A huge number of people have also reported having psychological issues after doing alcohol abuse for a longer period of time.
At the same time, alcohol abuse may also cause several types of cancer, including throat, breast, etc. Alcohol abuse during pregnancy may also cause miscarriage or premature birth. No amount of alcohol is fine during pregnancy.
Are there any good effects of alcohol on the body?
Yes, dude, there are a few good effects of alcohol on the body, but the weightage of bad effects is more than good. The small list of good effects of alcohol on the body includes reduced risk of diabetes and reduced risk of several types of stroke due to narrowed or blockage in the arteries.
Are the effects of alcohol on the body permanent?
Yes, usually, the effects of alcohol on the body are permanent. Doctors might recommend you to do some therapies to detox your body, but most of the damage is going to be permanent.